Hi all,

I am trying out revolvers as a self defense gun for my wife.  She is accustomed to shooting my Glock 23 and is quite good at it.  She finds the Glock very "comfortable", a very important criteria for her.

However, I am concerned about the extra work involved in operating a semi-auto in a dark and stressful situation, and want her to try out revolvers, principally for their simplicity.

The problem is that all the revolvers we have tried out at the rental gun range have:
A very heavy trigger pull in double-action mode, so heavy that accuracy is greatly reduced.
A very light trigger pull in single-action mode, so light that I personally find it scary (and yes, I know about not putting your finger on the trigger, etc, but in a stressful situation, I don't want accidents to happen).

Is there any middle ground?  Is it possible to lighten the double-action trigger pull so that it is closer to the pull of a Glock?  Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

Closer to a Glock? Hmmm, I'm not sure, but you can greatly improve the double action pull on S&Ws. Look for a 66 or 686 4" (586 too!). Get an older model with the firing pin on the hammer. The newer models have extra moving parts and not as smooth a pull. Open the damn thing up and use a polish like Flitz on any moving surface. It will greatly improve the trigger pull.

As for the rest, practice, practice, practice.

I know on a s&w you can replace the springs and that will help .If it is for a defense only weapon I would advise against it.Any time you  modify you take a chance on reliability and you do not want to take a chance in a life and death situation.

For revolver work, try Cylinder & Slide (in Nebraska, I think).

Suggestion for another gun to try: Para-Ordnance LDA. Looks like a 1911 clone, available in very compact size (3-in. barrel) and in either hi-cap or single-stack versions. These have the sweetest double-action triggers I've tried, not that I've tried them all of course. But certainly worth considering though I know what you mean about wheelguns being better for those who aren't likely to regularly practice with the weapon.

I need to ask if you're the one thinking she needs a revolver or is she?  That's like her saying to you, "Honey, maybe that AR isn't right for you.  Here, try out this left handed bolt gun."  If she's the one to use the gun, she should decide what she wants and what she's comfortable with.  What that does is it gives her a gun she likes, so she's more likely to want to practice with it.  That's important with a defense gun, and it's great with any gun to bring a new shooter to the sport.  

I'm not knocking a revolver.  I carry a wheelgun (Colt Detectvie Special) as my daily carry piece.  They're about as simple as they get, but they're not much simpler than a Glock.  I mean the Glock is pretty close to being revolver simple.  If she likes it, she's good with it, and she's comfortable with it, why not go with a Glock?  Buy her one of those police trade-in 17's or find a good deal on a 19.  Either get one with the NYPD trigger, or have it installed (Glock Armourers are everywhere) which will give her a very good trigger, that has a heavier pull than stock.  That would be just about what you're looking for with the revolver.  She should be able to rack the slide in the dark, there's several different techniques to accomplish this even if she doesn't have the strength to do it conventionally.  

Besides, letting her make the decision to get a Glock and putting the trigger in for her show her you love her

Ross

As far as revolvers go, they all have light single action trigger pulls.  My suggestion here is to either buy a double action-only revolver, or have the revolver of your choice converted to DA only.  Then have the DA trigger tuned to a light pull.  The problem, is that when the DA pull is lightened, so is the SA pull.  This is just the way revolvers work.

How about a small auto, with all the advantages of the auto, but with a high quality revolver-like DA trigger pull.  That would be the Kahr Arms pistols.  These have a double action only trigger that feels like a great DA revolver trigger.
These guns are reliable, accurate, simple, and very high quality.
Kahr also offers "Ladies" models, setup for ease of opperation for women.

As far as ease of opperation under stress or in the dark, the kahr is great, since there is no manual safety or anything else to fumble.  It's a "pull-point-shoot" gun, like a revolver.
The kahr is the best of both revolvers and autos.

Cylinder and Slice is in Fremont, Nebraska.  Just a few short miles from where I am.  All things being relative.  I think I'd stick with the glock, possible a Ruger.  If its for defense its going to be loaded anyway right?  

You stated:

She is accustomed to shooting my Glock 23 and is quite good at it. She finds the Glock very "comfortable", a very important criteria for her.

What is the issue? My wife can load, rack the slide, and fire my Glock 17. She too is comfortable with the pistol. If she needs a gun fast I want her to go for the gun she feels comfortable with and can shoot.

She does have a Taurus model 85 which I worked the trigger on and it's sweet but she likes the Glock.

When you pick a gun for yourself what criteria do you use? You like the feel in your hand....You tried one and can shoot it....Or maybe you feel comfortable with it.

This is not a flame because I thought the same thing originally when buying a pistol for my wife. I found that after several trips to the range my wife developed her favorites just like the rest of us.

S&W revolvers have a 18 lb double action trigger, so I can see why your wife has trouble with it. My cousin modified one of his Smith's by putting in a 12 lb trigger. He did it himself and it was relatively easy.

Good feedback from everyone.  Thank you.

Perhaps I am thinking too hard about foisting a revolver onto my wife.  I think that I will  taking her out practising with my Glock until she can operate it comfortably in the dark.  (It is for home use, not a carry gun).  For various reasons, I prefer to leave the chamber empty.  I can rack the slide without any thought or hesitation, but at this point she fumbles through it.  Perhaps I will work on it until it becomes second nature to her.

Thank you for your feedback about revolvers.  I am relatively unfamiliar with them, and I did not know that the DA trigger pull could be made easier.  The things we learn at AR15.com

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to respond.

How is she "racking" the slide? Some people do the 1911 "pinch". Not easy if you are not a he-man.

Try this off hand grasps the slide "over the top" from the ejeection port back, brisk pull to the rear, let slide go as it reaches the rearmost position.

unless that is alredy what you are teaching.......

How is she racking the slide?  If it's the conventional way, it does take some upper body strength.  Have her try to hold the grip in her firing had like normal, but grasp the slide on the top with her tumb towards her body on the side and her fingers on the outboard side.  It's easier if she has it across her about chest high (i.e. if the gun is down range, she'll be facing 90 deg from the target).  Then she pushes with the firing hand (alternatively she can push with both hands).  It's easier to hold her non-firing arm solid, and push with the grip, which gives here something to push against.  Most autos can be cocked this way by anyone.  In an emergency, she can rest the sidle on top of a table edge (so the barrel will clear) and push with both hands.  Even the smallest child can rack a silde this way.  Not exactly what's taught in gun handling class, but it works in an emergency.

Ross

I'm a chick and not a very big one at that. I have 2 glocks (plus several revolvers and rifles) a 21 and 26. Shooting a glock is a lot easier than shooting a revolver double action. I don't have any trouble racking the slice but some of my female friends have. The problem is they try to be to gentle but I'm wondering why you think she should not carry one in the pipe? I keep my bedside gun holstered w/o one in the pipe because I have dogs and think I will have enough warning to rack one if I need to. I have my concealed carry license and when I do I put one in the pipe, reason being, if I have to use it I might need to use it in a hurry.I use a holser that covers the trigger and I'm going to get a saftey block the next time I order "supplies" just for piece of mind. I used to keep my ruger security six 357 by the bed but had the cylinder sieze when I shot some hunting rounds and that ruined my confidence in the gun for self defense. I have a taurus 38 special that has never burped but it's not a fun range gun, although it is comfy to carry. Not as easy to shoot double action as my glocks which has never malfuctioned. The 26 is small and easy to conceal. I have the pinky extention on mine and it's like it was molded to my hand. The recoil spring might feel heavy at first but when you realize you don't have to baby it anyone should be able to rack a round. I also love my 21, it's my nightstand gun. I had trouble shooting a friends 27, I think maybe I am not heavy enough for the .40 and although I was not conciously limp wristing, I must have done something wrong, nobody else had malfuncitions but me. That could be important in selecting a caliber for your wife. To me a glock is like a revolver but easier to shoot and disassemble.

If she is having trouble with autos then a 38 special s&w revolver would be a good second choice. Get a hammered model so she could shoot it single action if needed. I really love my taurus. Smiths have better triggers though so if you have the money I would go with it.

From one women to another.

I'd bet Cylinder & Slide would smooth up a
Smith 66, de-bob the hammer, and do away with the single-action feature entirely. Pretty simple, zero maintenance, reliable, strong, and practically "court-proof". My 2c    Stay safe    

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